osthoff



Sept. 3, 1929. w. OSTHOFF 1,726,673

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING TEXTILE GOODS Filed May 4, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenfor:

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Sept. 3, 1929. w. OSTHOFF ,7 ,67

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING TEXTILE GOODS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1928 I n Yen for t: v l a (fer 051% 0// 3/ Fife/"117 Sept. 3, 1929. w. OSTHOFF 1,726,678

' PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING TEXTILE GOODS Filed May 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNETE STATES WALTER OS'II-IOFF, OF BAEIJEN, GERMANY.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING TEXTILE GOODS.

Application filed May 4, 1928, Serial No. 275,008, and in Germany February 22, 1928.

This invention relates to a process for singeing textile goods, and the invention consists in employing electric sparks or arcs for this purpose. The process can advantageously be carried out by causing a large number of continuous sparks produced by a high voltage to act on the goods, which sparks, in conjunction with the flame formation which occurs, effect the singeing of the fibres. 1 a

If, for example, yarns have to be singed, a burner is advantageously employed in which the electrodes between which the formation of sparks takes place are separated from one another by some millimetres. The thread to be singed is drawn through the resulting spark-gap. The electrodes can either be arranged in pairs opposite one another or a plurality can be arranged radially around the thread. Further, a plurality of electrodes can also be arranged one after another in the longitudinal direction of the goods to be singed.

The current can either be supplied to the electrodes by connecting the one to the negative and the other to the positive pole of the source of the current, or the singeing can be carried out by heavily moistening the yarn before passing it into the burner so that the wet thread to be singed forms one of the poles and acts, for example, as the earth conductor, while the electrodes opposite the thread are connected to the other pole. The formation of sparks by high voltage then takes place between the electrodes and the wet thread to be singed.

The singcing of fabrics can, in accordance with the invention, obviously be effected in the same manner. Thus, for example, one pole may consist of a metal plate over which the fabric is drawn While a holder with a large number of electrodes (for example, wires or needles) is arranged at the other side of the fabric at a distance of some millimetres so that the spark from each wire must pass right through the fabric to the metal plate, which serves as a guide for the fabric.

When the goods to be singed by this process are treated in a dry state the danger exists that they will be scorched or burnt by the sparks penetrating the fabric, that is to say, the body of the fabric itself will be ducted over a roller which rotates in a water bath, so that the fabric is moistened on the side which travels on the roller, to which one pole, preferably the earth-conductor, is connected.

Another advantageous method of carrying out the new singeing process consists in moistening the fabric so heavily before passing it into the spark-gap that it is itself able to act as one of the poles, for example the earth-conductor. It is possible in this case to pass the fabric between a large number of oppositely situated electrodes and to cause the high voltage sparks to spring out from the electrodes on both sides on to the wet fabric (earth conductor) passing between them. Tn this Way the fabric is s1multaneously singed on both sides.

Various forms of apparatus which can advantageously be employed for carrying out the process are illustrated diagrammatically by way of example in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a vertical section of one form of apparatus having a plane guide track for the goods to be singed, in combination with the pertaining electrical apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of a form of apparatus having a cylindrical guide track and means for moistening the goods to be singed.

Fig. '8 is a plan of the electrode plate of the apparatus in accordance with Figs,l and 2..

Fig. 4- is an apparatus forsingeing both sides of the fabric.

Fig. 5 is an apparatus having electrode plates arranged on both sides of the fabric but displaced from one another in. the longitudinal direction.

Fig. 6 i" across-section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 and 8 are apparatus for singeii Q yarns or threads in cross-section and in iongitudinal section respectively, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are cross-section and plan respectively of a singeing apparatus havi ng a spark-gap parallel to the path of the Ia-brie.

Referring now to tne constructional e1:- ample illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 is the fabric to be singed and 2 a tlat, hollow block of metal which serves as a support and also a guide for the fabric and also further forms one pole of the spark-mp. Above the fabric 1 there is a second in al plate 3 which is provided at regular dis tances with points 4@ directed towards the fabric. These points H term the "eparate electrodes and end at a distance of some millimetres, for example ata distance of 4-5 mm., above the path of the fabric.

The two plates 2 and 3 are eacn cc nectcd to one of the two ends 7, 7 of the hi i-v age coil 7 of the transformer 8, of w low-voltage coil 9 is fed through a circuitbreaker 10 from a battery of accumulators 11 or other suitable source of current. For regulating the strength of the current, a variable resistance 12 is connected in the lowvoltage circuit.

The upper side of the guide-nlate 2 for the fabric is provided with a large number of slits or holes 2, and a pipe 14 for the supply of compressed air, steam or other suitable fluid medium is connected to the hollow space 2. Further, the guide-plate 2 is also connected to an earth-conductor E in order to prevent its being at an Lin-permissibly high electric potential above that of the earth.

The mode of operation 01": the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 is in short s follows:

The lever of the circuit breaker 10 is set in rapid rotation. Then, every time it passes 0 "er from the lower halili-circle of its path of contact, which haltcircle is mane of insulating material, to the upper half, the current from the battery 11 connected across the low-voltage coil 9. When, on the other hand, the lever of the circuit breaker leaves the upper half of its path of contact, the current is again cut oil. At every make and break of the current a powerful induced voltage is set up in the higlrvoltage coil 7 which causes sparks or arcs 55 to pass across between the points of the electrodes 4l4 and the guide-plate 2. The speed of rotation of the circuit-breaker can be so regulated that about 100 spark discharges occur per second. The strength of the sparks or arcs is regulated according to the kind of material to be singed at any time by means of the resistance 12 and also by selecting a suitable battery voltage, so that only the line upstanding fibres ot the fabric are burnt, while the fabric itself is no; attacked by the flames.

For assisting the desired singein action, compressed air may in inldil'ion advantageously be blovvn in through the pipe ill. so that it penetrates the fabric through the openings 2 in the d? .L En of the sparkgap. By this means the fuzzy l'ilncs to be singed oil are forced out from the surface of the fabric into the sp k-gap so that they will burn away more c On. the other hand, the combustion generalist by the combustion of the i'ibrcs. are blou n away by the current of air and the oxygen neces sary for the :ombuslion i at the me time supplied. Finally, a certain amount or" cooling of inc plates and the elecirodes l--'l= tnereby eli'ected, and this may in some cases also be further increased by other means.

As a numerical example for illum'ufin g the effectiveness of the apparatus. the inilowing will serve t is possible Without d llieulty to cause about sparks to spring from a single electrode in one second. A fabric which is 100 cms. Wide can be singed, for example, with a burner for carrying out this proce s in which about 200 electrodes in the 'lorui. of needles are or niged in the longitudinal direction. In the transverse direction, i. 0.. in the direction of travel of the fabric. to such rows, preferably stag red rchilivcl to one another and each having 200 electrodes in the forms of needles or wires. may be arranged. Therefore, the l iurncr for singcing a fabric which is 100 cms. wide inns. about 10,000 electrodes. Since about 100 sparks per second can l e discharged vvi. out difiiculty from one electrode, ihorelkn'c for singeing this 100 cm. width o' fabric as many as one million sparks spring onto the fabric per :second. As the ten ei'ni'ni'o cl a single spar. is cXi' -aordinarily h i and. for example, far exceeds he melting point of all metals, there is formed along the singeing zone a single unbroken sea cl lame ot' the highest temperature and in measurement about 100 cms. in loo th and 25 cms. wide. In coi'iscquence of the high temper-11' ture produced in the form of very numerous and very small micro-flames the libi"31-= 1nl hering' to the goods are singed oil? without leaving any remains. The expenditure oli energy in comparison with the cllcc. produced is therefore very small and exceeds anything that has: hitherto been obtained in this fi-ld o1 work.

The constructional example. illustrated in Fig. 2 dill'ers from that oi Fig. 1 e: entiall in that a rotating roller 2, which dips into a liquid container 2" is used as a ouide [or the goods. This roller may 5 (lily lc acid rcmade of ceramic material or other lib) however sisting material, since if guide bodies of metal or the like be employed there is a danger that the metal will be attacked owing to the resulting formation of sparks and ozone and the high temperatures occurring, as well as owing to the influence of the moisture.

by the metallic oxide. All these drawbacks are avoided by employing an acid resisting guide body, in which case the conduction of current takes place essentially through the liquid. As has been proved by experiment, the liquid has no effect whatever on the goods, but on the contrary quite a number of considerable advantages are gained by this moistening treatment, which are explained in greater detail in connection with the two following constructional examples.

In the constructional example according to Fig. 4 two electrode plates 8 and 3 are arranged one on either side of the fabric 1 to be singed. The fabric is conducted by a roller 2 through a liquid container 2 which ,is itself connected to earth E and to one pole of the high-voltage coil 7.

The method of operation of the apparatus according to Fig. 4 is as follows The fabric, on passing through the container 2 is heavily moistened and thereby made conductive. ,The liquid may be ordinary water, to which in some cases may be added suitable salts or acids in order to increase its electrical conductivity. The fabric which has in this marlner been made a good conductor and is connected to one pole of the coil 7 is then passed between the two electrode plates 3 and 3 As the plates are connected to the other pole of the coil 7 a strong formation of sparks takes place simultaneously on both sides of the fabric as it passes between the electrodes, so that the fabric is singed on both sides at the same time, that is to say the singeing is finished in a single operation.

The heavy moistening of the fabric em ployed in this process has, as alreadyindicated, the great advantage that only the upstanding fibres are burnt off, whilst the fabric itself is otherwise kept cool by the moisture and protected from being burnt.

in consequence, the danger of making the goods delicate and brittle owing to the effect of too great heat, as may happen with plate and flame singeing, is no longer present. The high temperature of the singeing spark is preeminently suitable for quickly removing the fibres adhering to the goods without leaving any remains, notwithstanding the presence of moisture.

The electrical singeing of fabric in a moist condition which has just been described has other considerable advantages. Thus, for example, the high voltage sparks which are produced and shoot out in enor- Further, in some cases the goods. themselves could be unfavourably afiected mous numbers simultaneously give rise to a strong formation of ozone which has a bleaching effect on the damp fabric. The bleaching process is thereby aided to a quite considerable extent, so that here again a new technical effect is involved within the bounds of the singeing process.

A further and very important advantage of the new singeing process is that the singeing process need no longer precede the bleaching process and that a previous drying of the goods is no longer necessary. The goods can on the contrary be dressed and bleached in the unsinged condition and can then be singed while still in the wet state, as they come from the bleaching, in the washing machine, or before the moistening .calenders or in other suitable manner during an otherwise necessary process, so that a separate process of operation and corresponding loss of time is saved. Since the fabric is singed in accordance with the present process most advantageously after the bleaching process has been completed, the enormous advantage is with certainty obtained that the fabric is maintained faultlessly singed (free from fibres) until it is finished and that, as occurs with the previous singeing processes, new fibres do not again appear in the subsequent treatment and so impair the appearance of the goods.

The form of the apparatus in accordance with Figs. 5 and 6 differs from that of Fig. 4i essentially in that the two electrode plates 3 and 3, which are arranged on different sides of the fabric 1 but one behind the other inthe direction of travel, and that they are connected to different poles of the high voltage coil 7, while the fabric is heavily moistened as before and is in electrical connection with the earth conductor E.

Owing to the arrangement of the two electrode plates 3 and 3 connected to different poles the further special effect is obtained, as may be seen from Fig. 6, that the passage of sparks only takes place from those needles on the electrode plates which lie opposite a portion of the fabric, while those electrode needles which do not lie opposite a portion of the fabric remain out of action. In this way therefore the result is obtained that the spark formation automaticallv adapts itself to the width of the fabric being singed at any time. p

A similar automatic regulation to the width of the fabric may be present also in the constructional example in accordance with Fig. 4 and obtained in that form by connecting the two electrode plates 3 and 3 to the same pole. The passage of sparks therefore only occurs from those needles located in that portion of the singeing zone within the ran e of the width of the fabric, as is illustrated in Fig. 6, by the full and dotted lines. Also when singeing with a nonconducting roller in accordance with Fig. 2 an automatic adjustment of the spark formation to the width of the goods can be obtained. For this purpose it is only neces sary to arrange the liquid bath 9) in front of the roller 2 instcad of below it, so that the goods are moistened before they malre Contact with the roller, while the roller itself is i etted by the wet goods and only to a corresponding width, the rest of the roller remaining dry.

In F 7 and 8 an apparatus for singei yarns is illustrated diaeraminatically.

:1 The de points 4 are so arranged 1n two oposite arcuate electrode walls 2 and 3 that they point radially to the centre and are separator. from one another by some millimetres corresponding to the spark-gap to be employed. The thread 1 to he singed is passed through the centre surrounded by the numerous electrodes and since the sparks iring around it from all sides, the fibres present round the entire periphery of the thread are burnt away without leaving any remains.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a further constructional embodiment of the invention is illustrated, in which the electrodes 2*, 3 are arranged on one and the same side of the fabric and in such manner as to dispose the spark zone parallel to the path of travel of the fabric. In this form of apparatus for carrying out the process the exposure of the goods to the penetrating power of the spark is avoided, and the fabric may be moved at slow speed and less care is necessary in order to prevent possible burning of the fabric.

The invention is not of course limited to the constructional examples illustrated, but other forms of construction are possible. For example, instead of needles and wires, any other suitable kind of electrodes may be employed. They are however always so arranged that a large number of sparks can be formed between the electrodes and the goods to be singed or between the electrodes themselves. Further, the "fabric instead of being passed horizontally between the electrodes could in many cases also pass in a vertical direction, for example, from below upwards.

Claims:

1. The process of singeing textile goods, which consists in subjecting the surface of the goods to be singed to the action of a singeing flame formed by electric sparks.

2. The process of singeing textile goods, which consists in moistening the goods to be singed and subjecting the moistened goods to the action of a singeing flame formed by electronic emission.

3. The process of singeing textile goods, which consis in subjecting one side of the goods to the singcing action ot a siugeiug flame formed by electric sparks, and simultaneously subjecting the other side of the goods to the action of a fluid under pressure.

4-. The process of singeiug textile goods, which consists in subjecting the goods to the singeing action or singeing flames formed by electronic emission, and simultaucously subjecting the other side of the goods to the action 0t an oxygen containing fluid. under pressure.

5. The process of singciug 'lcxlilc goods which consists in moisteuing the goods so as to renncr the goods electrically couductire. placing one side of the goods at ground potential, and subjecting the other side of the goods to the action of a singeing flame produced by electric sparks.

6. An apparatus for siugcing textile goods, con'iprising goods supporting means, and means operat m for producing h electronic emirsion a singcing flame to act upon the goods.

7. An apparatus for singeiug textile goods comprising supporting and guiding means for the goods, means for moistcning the goods, and means for producing a singeing flame formed of electric sparks to act upon the goods.

8. An apphrutus ilior singcing textile goods comprising supportingand guiding means for the goods, means tor dampening the goods, means For placim; one side of the goods at ground potential, and means for producing a singeing flame formed of electric sparks for action upon the goods.

9. An apparatus for HiHQClIlfj tcxtilc goods comprising supporting and guiding means for the goods, means for producing a singeing ilamc formed of electric FPtU'hS to act upon a side of the goods. and nwans for subjecting the opposite end. oi the goods to the action of an oxygen containing lluid under pressure. I

10. An apparatiu x tor singcing textile goods comprising r-iupporling and guiding means for the goods, means for producing singeing flames formed of electric sparks to act upon the surface of the goods, and means for subjecting the opposite surface of the goods to the pressure of a pressure fluid.

In testimony whereof I alii); my signature.

WALTER 08TH O F F.

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